Monday, August 29, 2016

In 1871, this account of the commencement at the Baptist Female
College in Lexington, Missouri appeared in the local newspaper. Of note is the
description of Lily E. (Burton) Selph’s role at the school, the piano playing
of the Selph daughters, and a description of the girls’ exams and the school
grounds.

Baptist Female College

The stranger, who saunters admiringly, along South Street,
the Fifth Avenue of Lexington, can’t fail to notice, just opposite to where the
Southern Methodist Church rears its tall and graceful spire heavenward, a
spacious and stately edifice reposing, in calm and placid dignity, and
embowering trees and vines. In front and around it, cedars and pines, apple,
peach and cherry trees, wave their leafy arms, and the rose and lilac swing
their perfumed censers. With its substantial, stone-colored walls and dark-green
blinds, the building looks like a noble mansion of the “olden time;” but a neat
new chapel, at the western side, proclaims it a public institution. That is the
Baptist College; and it is worthy of the large and increasing patronage it
receives; worthy of the good old city, in which it stands; and worthy of the
numerous, wealthy and intelligent denomination, to which it belongs. In spite
of some drawbacks, with which it has had to contend, during the session just
past, a reference to its admirably gotten up catalogue, shows an enrollment of
a hundred and two students—a larger number than either of its competitors. Its
board of trustees comprises many of our most prominent citizens.

Its Faculty
consists of Rev. Duncan H. Selph, D.D., formerly President of the famous
Seminary at Danville Kentucky, and more recently of the almost equally
celebrated institution, at Murfreesboro, Tennessee; President and Professor of
Mental and Moral Philosophy. –

Mrs. L.E. Selph, a
veritable mother to all her girls, watchful, careful and sympathizing to all
her girls, watchful, careful and sympathizing; Matron and Assistant Principal.

…the examination which we witnessed, last week of their
classes in grammar, logic, rhetoric and physiology, would alone have been
sufficient to wreath them with well-earned laurels. The little ladies showed a
readiness and accuracy, a familiarity with the philosophy as well as the facts
of literature and science, that was positively amazing. The classes in
mathematics were pronounced by Prof. C.O. smith, of this place, who witnessed
their examination, the most astonishingly proficient, quick and thorough, he ever
saw. He declares that young girls of fourteen or fifteen years triumphantly passed
an ordeal, which would have been severe for the masculine graduates of our most
noted colleges.

The Musical Department is intrusted [sic] to the skill and
care of Miss Sade Summers. The performance of many of her pupils is admirable
evidence of her fitness for the position. Misses Fannie, Alice and Susie
Wadell, Miss Susie Chapman, Miss Belle Graves, and the little Misses Selph, are
worthy of especial mention several of these little ladies bid fair to become
brilliant pianists.

…The examinations and exhibitions, last week were attended
throughout, by crowds of our best citizens and many stranger [sic]. The chapel
was far too small to accommodate the throng on Commencement evening. And
praises of the school, its management, teachers and pupils have been on many
tongues. We understand that everything seems fair for a larger commencement
than ever, next session. The Baptists of Western and Southwestern Missouri
certainly can find no better place to send their daughters.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

What if those of us who also collect antique photographs, did a little research and added those pictures to websites where they can be found and enjoyed by descendants of those families? The photographs in this web post will be added to findagrave memorials and FamilySearch.

I purchased these two photographs over thirty years ago. Unfortunately, I do not remember where. It was likely New Mexico, Texas, or Kansas. They were both in the same shop or booth, and I purchased them because the John P. Tener photograph had a wealth of information on the back and because they were obviously both from the same family. My guess was that the men were brothers. Evidently, the photographs passed down through John P. Tener's family until someone disposed of them.

This photograph is the larger of the two and has detailed information on the back. The photographer's stamp across the bottom reads: The Lees Traveling.

Back:

Mrs. Mr.

Elizabeth John P. Tener

Ann Tener was born April

was born the 4th 1816

February the 18th and picture was

1825 and taken October

picture was the 11th 1896

taken October and died March

the 11th 1896 the 24th 1898

A search of findagrave revealed that John Philip Tener and Elizabeth A. (Powelson) Tener are buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Cedar County, Missouri. The birth and death dates on John Philip Tener's tombstone match the inscription on the back of his photograph.

Elizabeth Ann Powelson was first married to John A. Cain on 22 Oct 1841 in Washington County, Iowa.

About Me

My favorite memories from childhood include visits to my grandparents in East Texas. At dusk we'd run around my grandparent's yard, catching fireflies and putting them in jelly jars. When darkness descended, we'd return to the porch. It was a special treat to sit in the porch swing. Inevitably, the adults would launch into family stories of Pink Kelley's brush with Sherman's troops, of Great Uncle Hood Brown's tragic death, and of the Kelley family's wagon trip to Texas, among many others. The stars on those nights were magical.

I began my genealogy research in the summer of 1975, less than a month after my high school graduation. When I married in 1983, I started researching my husband's family as well. I was fortunate to start this hobby as a youngster because it gave me an opportunity to correspond with researchers who are long gone; to ask questions of family members -although not enough, never enough; and travel a bit. The result is a lot of information. I've come to the realization that I will probably never be able to afford to publish, so this is my publication.

This blog contains a mixture of information on my husband's family and mine. I've expanded into a second blog called Flimsies and Frippery with the intention of focusing on quilts and dolls, but I have several historical research entries there with more planned, which is why I don't get more quilting done.

Ultimately, genealogy is my passion. This is where I plan to record family stories, research adventures and misadventures, and those serendipitous moments that happen out of the blue. You should be warned that I have a bad habit of going back and adding information and links to individual entries, so it is beneficial to check back often if there is a family of particular interest to you. If you wander in and discover that you are a cousin, please contact me.

Since many younger family members who are new to genealogy are starting to contact me about their ancestors, I've started adding family trees to help them see how everyone is connected. The trees are divided between my family and my husband's. You will find them below under the label's Family Trees - My Husband's Side and Family Trees - My Family's Side.

Porch Swing...

House built by my grandfather, Willie Sargent Chapman. The new owners put a porch swing in the spot where the original hung.